EVDO is a telecommunications standard for the wireless transmission of data through radio signals, typically for broadband Internet access. See e.g., Wikipedia, Evolution-Data Optimized, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution-Data_Optimized (last visited on Jun. 26, 2008). It uses multiplexing techniques such, as for example, Code division multiple access (“CDMA”) and Time division multiple access (“TDMA”) to maximize throughput both for individual users and the overall system. Id. To this end, EVDO can support high data rates and may be used along with voice services of wireless carriers. Id. Accordingly, it has been adopted by many mobile phone service providers, and today many access terminals (e.g., mobile phones) are EVDO capable. Id.
As a part of configuring access terminals to receive an EVDO service via an EVDO capable network, access terminals are automatically assigned a Unicast Access Terminal Identifier (“UATI”). This assignment takes place regardless of the access terminal's intended or actual use. That is, even if the access terminal does not subscribe to an EVDO service, the access terminal is assigned a UATI. The UATI may relate to an over-the-air signaling identifier that associates a mobile terminal with the access network's radio resources used during the connection and call setup procedure. Similar to an IP address, the UATI may be used by an access network controller to track the access terminal and to send and receive messages over a radio link to and from the access terminal.
Automatic assignment of UATIs to all access terminals regardless of their actual use of an EVDO service may not be beneficial because in an EVDO network domain resources are scarce, and, therefore, there is a limitation on the number of UATIs that can be assigned to the access terminals. Accordingly, the automatic assignment of UATIs to the access terminals irrespective of their actual or intended use would result in waist of resources and additional costs. Furthermore, the assignment of the UATIs to access terminals that do not or infrequently utilize EVDO resources results in unnecessary signaling traffic, a feature network designers aim to reduce.
With this in mind, there is a need for a method that can more efficiently use UATIs and that can reduce messaging for subscribers that never or infrequently use EVDO data services.